The disclosure relates to marine fuel systems.
Marine fuel systems are known for a marine internal combustion engine for a vessel in a body of water and subject to movement, including due to waves, rough water, people moving on the vessel, etc. The system includes a fuel tank containing fuel subject to sloshing action due to the vessel movement, and including a fuel filler inlet for adding fuel to the fuel tank, and a fuel level sensor in the fuel tank and outputting a fuel level signal to a fuel gauge, e.g. at the helm. Marine fuel tanks are typically directly vented to atmosphere using a vent tube that typically runs through the hull of the vessel. When an operator, including a dock attendant, fills the fuel tank, it can overfill before the fuel pump shut-off shuts off the flow. This overfilling causes raw liquid fuel to spew out of the fuel tank vent.
Typically, the fuel level is determined by the user looking at the fuel gauge. However, the fuel gauge is typically at the helm of the vessel and not near the fuel filler inlet. This in turn requires two people to fill the vessel fuel tank to a given fuel level, one to watch the gauge, and the other for operating the fuel pump on the dock or filling station.
To avoid overfilling, where a second person may not be readily available, some boaters prefer to not fill their fuel tank completely or to a given preferred level, but rather only fill the tank to a lower predetermined level, to allow them to carry enough fuel for a day's usage, and any emergencies if possible. In another alternative, the fuel tank is provided with a fuel gauge and/or shut-off at the filler inlet, but this may be objectionable as to cost because such integrated gauges/shut-offs can be expensive.
The present disclosure arose during continuing development efforts in the above technology. In one aspect, the disclosure uses existing hardware, without expensive add-ons, to allow a single user to fill his marine fuel tank without overfilling.